Mitch McConnell just killed a bill to pay our troops during the shutdown

Donald Trump and Senate Republicans have just shut down their own government and immediately began desperately pulling out the cheapest tricks in the book to try and pin the blame on Democrats.

In an absolutely appalling show of ruthless opportunism, they began the negotiations by taking hostage the healthcare funding for nine million children – and now they’re crying crocodile tears about how the shutdown is affecting our poor troops.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: "They will see which senators vote to shove aside veterans, military families and vulnerable children to hold the entire country hostage…until we pass an immigration bill they haven't even written yet" https://t.co/bw0oOEZlFgpic.twitter.com/vld3lr4iWQ

It is an act of political hypocrisy so heinous that it’s hard to understand how Mitch McConnell didn’t spontaneously combust into flames on the spot, let alone sleep at night or function like a person who isn’t a callous sociopathic.

Will Fischer of VoteVets expressed his frustration in a statement to Shareblue Media. “It gets harder and harder to believe that Donald Trump and the Republicans want anything other than a shutdown, when they make military pay a key talking point, but then block Democrats’ bill to make sure our military is paid, during a shutdown.”

“It’s becoming clear that shutting down the government, and holding people hostage for ransom, is the goal of Trump and Republicans. There simply is no other reason for Republicans to kill a Democratic measure to pay troops, other than to keep holding our troops and their families hostage. It’s disgusting.”

It is beyond infuriating to watch the Republican Party and Donald Trump use our military as a cheap political bludgeon at every turn while refusing to take even the most basic steps to actually do anything to improve the lives of our armed forces.

Colin Taylor is the managing editor of the Washington Press. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice, equality, and universal health care in America.